Teacup Candles

Today I will be showing you how to make these cute teacup candles. It's a nice gift idea for someone who likes vintage things and scented candles. All you need are teacups, old candles, chop sticks, and a pot to melt the wax.

You don't have to buy a new expensive set of teacups for this project. I found these teacups in a thrift store near our house.

And I found these old candlesticks in our cupboard. Nobody uses them anyway. First, melt the old candlesticks in a pot or sauce pan.

Make sure to save the wick. Wind it around a pair of chopsticks and place it on top of the teacup. This will keep the wick stable while you are pouring the hot wax.

Add a few drops of essential oils if you want your candle to be scented. After pouring the hot wax, let it cool.

And when it's completely cool, light up your candle!

There you have it. I prefer using vanilla or coffee extract for a yummier scent. And you can even add food coloring to make it look like a real drink.

Let me know what you think of this cute DIY project. :)

Upcycled Pine Tree Branch Candle Holder

When our office was about to dispose our Christmas tree early this month, I asked them if I could keep the trunk so I could use it for a craft project. I have been eyeing this birch branch votive set from Terrain and thought about doing a pine tree version.

I didn't have the right tools for this project so I was lucky that the carpenter from the maintenance department where my mom works was kind enough to help me. 

I asked him to cut the tree crosswise in 4 inches, 3 inches, and 2 inches. The smaller the diameter, the shorter the cut.

This was the result:

And then he sanded both ends to produce a smooth surface. The dust from the pine made the workshop smell like Christmas!

Sanding the surface also brought out the nice rings of the tree. Look at the pretty circles!



I traced the tea light candle on the wood and the carpenter drilled through it.

Here is the end product:

Different sizes from two to four inches tall.

They look nice when lit up.

You could still smell the pine tree and the sap is still there. I am thinking of applying a coat of varnish to protect the candle holders from insects.

You like? :)

I want to make more of these but the next batch of pine tree won't be around until Christmas time. I am considering a different tree though. I just need to look for a place to find good tree branches.